Machine for breasting louis heels



March 6, 1951 R. H. PETTENGlL L 2,544,470

MACHINE FOR BREASTING LOUIS HEELS Filed Jan. 29, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet l R. H. PETTENGILL MACHINE FOR BREASTING LOUIS HEELS 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 6, 1951 Filed Jan. 29, 1949 March 6, 1951 R. H. PETTENGILL MACHINE FOR BREASTING LOUIS HEELS 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 29 1949 March 6, 1951 R. H. PETTENGILL MACHINE FOR BREASTING LOUIS HEELS 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 29 1949 March 6, 1951 R. H. PETTENGILL MACHINE FOR BREASTING LOUIS HEELS 7 Shee'ts-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 29 1949 March 6, 1951 R. H. PETTENGILL 2,544,470

MACHINE FOR BREASTING LOUIS HEELS,

7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Jan. 29, 1949 March 1951 R. H. PETTENGILL ,54

MACHINE FOR BREASTING LOUIS HEELS Filed Jan. 29, 1949 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 jlblanks. g

Y tiple blank holders, or jacks-as they arecom- Patented Mar. 6, 1951 eATE T OFFICE F 2,544,470 MACHINE FOR BREASTING LOUVIS HEELS Ralph Howard reaeii'gm, deceased, late of Georgetown, Mass., by Rita/M. Pett'engilh'executrixg'Ge'orgetown, Mass.; and John W, 'Sjp stromnaverhill; Mass; assignors to Pope Machinery Corporatiomfiaverhill, Mass at corporation-of'Massachustts v e Application Jaiiiiar'y' 29, 1949, Serial Nmtasszf Y '1 "s 'Claimsi (01'. 53-471 This invention relates to machines used in the manufacture of heels for womens shoes and more particularly, to machines for forming the breast and under lip surfaces of Louis wood heel These machines consist essentially of 'a work head, carrying one or more blank holders, by

means of which heel bla nks are carried in 'a circular path past a power-driven multi-blade form cutter to form the breast and under lip porti0n, l 0 of the heel.

Breast forming machines in common use for 1 this operation may be roughly classified as single blank holder machines, an d thos e 'hav'ingjfmulmonly called, mounted on a revolving turret. The single jack machines, which are usually hand operated, employ an oscillating motion by which the blank is pushed past the cutter, and

then Withdrawn for discharging the breasted blank, and reloading. The power operated, multiple jack machines employ a continuous, or

. sometimes interrupted, rotary motion of the turret. The present invention relates to a power operated, multiple jack breast cutting machine employing continuous rotary movement of the turret, on which the jacks are mounted.

It is a requirement of Louis heel breast cutting machines that a wide range of styles, sizes and heights of blanks can be properly clamped to withstand the cutting stresses, and also that a 1 wide variation in the radii of the arcuate shape of the grooved under lip surface of the heel can ,,,be had The required lip curvature radius 'varies from about 1 to about 2%". M

It has been the common practice to carry the heel blank in a circular path having a fixed axis past the breast cutter with theheel seatsurface of the blank in a plane parallel to the axis of work head revolution The work head has usual-- ,10 -..1y been pow d iv nat-a fi unji or P.-

and interchangeable turret blocks, varying in .size, have been selectively employed for positiming the seat surfaces of the blanks at a radius such as would provide the required lip curvature, 45 It is obvious that when set on the 2% radius,

. the blank is carried past the cutter at more than str pe-wager d zith h it would e ca when on the l /lgfradius. This isobjectionalole best results. 7

It is an object of this invention to provide .2- turret type breast cuttingm'achine without varying the radius of the circular path in which the blanks are carried, relative to the axis of turret rotation. Thus, a uniform relative blank and cutter speed I is maintained regardless of the ,radius of li'p curvature. Furthermore, loading the blanksinto the machine, either by hand or ,by, powerloader, is made much easier because the jacks are always to be found at the same radial position and moving at the same speed when the blanks are presented at uniform intervals for loading, whereas in the prior art'machines, both the position and the speed of the jacks at the loading station varied widely, according to the radius'being used.

These objects are secured, in the present invention,-by mounting the work head 'on' a pivoted member in such manner that it is urged toward the cutter by gravity, as shown, or by spring, if

desired, and controlled in its pivotal movement toward the cutter by 'a cam, the shape of which determines the curvature of the lip of the heel.

Another advantage of the cam controlled cut is that the lip curvature is not limited to an'arc,

but may be of any desired shape. a

High production continuous motion, turret typ breast cutting machines usually have four jacks, all alike, spaced 90 apart around the work head.

.tion which is the purpose of these machines. In

Tprior, art machines, the minimum adjustments 'for each jack fora change of style, lip curvature, height and size of heel blank include side stop,

back stop and clamp height adjustments. It has been the practice to adjust each of these three elements on eachl'of the four jacks separately ,l ereby requiring aj'possible twelve separate ad- -justments for a, set-over. Also a turret block must be takenofi and another block ofth'e required size installed. Most of these adjustments required the removal ofscrews, change of parts andre-entering and tightening of screws. Also, a kick-out pin is required to insure the discharge off the blanksiromjthe jacks after the breasts have been shaped. On variable radius machines, because, as is well understood, the proper relative .50- ..speed of cutter and work piece is streamers? this .pin requires resetting to match radius Ij..".".'changes, whereas, in the machine embodying this invention, the pin requires no adjustment.

Itiis an object of this inventionto provide means for saving a major portion of the time requiredto set over individual jacks as above described. In our invention, one adjustment of a unitary control ring sets all four of the side stops, another single adjustment sets all four of the back stops, and a third sets all four of the clamping lever pivot pins for the height of heel blank to be breasted. For quick adjustment to cut a different lip curve, a built in series of cams is provided, having a range of shapes sufiicient to cover the range of lip curvatures required on the heels. A slidably mounted cam follower can be quickly set to operate on the cam required for the lip curvature wanted, the proper cam being selected by referring to a suitably marked scale.

Another object is to increase production, and reduce danger of injury to the operator by providing a mechanical loader arranged to transfer heel blanks from a point remote from the jacks and to present them, one at a time, to the respective jacks as they arrive at the loading station.

It has been the practice to load the blanks directly into the jacks by hand. The jacks are necessarily powerful clamping mechanisms, capable of injuring an operators fingers in case of a misplaced blank. Also, the operator's hand destined to be turned in a turning machine, the

function of which is to shape the side and back surfaces of the heel. In the turning machine the blank is presented to a form cutter which operates first from one side edge of the breast surface around to the center of the back, then from the other side edge of the breast surface.-

and around to the center of the back It is evident that the movement of the form cutter relative to the blank must be symmetrical with. re-

spect to the already formed breast and lip surfaces; otherwise, one of the lip points, as viewed from the side, will be thicker than the other, which means a defective product which must be discarded.

In order to provide a convenient and accurate index for the mid point of the lip without requiring any separate operation or handling of the blanks, a small circular saw is provided in the loading table arranged to make a small slot in the front portion of the heel seat face of the blank, as the operator moves the blank along the table toward the loader. This slot can conveniently be used in cooperation with a centrally located male key in the turning machine jack as a transverse centering means when the blank is subsequently placed in a turning machine. The

) slot, however, is out wholly in that portion of the blank which is subsequently removed when the heelseat face is concavedor cupped to fit the convex heel seat of the shoe.

The loading table has a rear wall against which the operator will align each blank, preparatory to moving it into the loader with its seat surface resting on the table top, and its front end toward the loader. As the operator slides the blank toward and into the loader, the slotting occurs with'- out any noticeable extra effort or expenditure of time on the part of the operator.

' For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description of an embodiment thereof, and to the drawing, of which Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the form cutter and a heel blank which has been operated on thereby;

Figure 5 is. an end elevation of the cutter, a portion being broken away to show a section;

Figure 6 is aside elevation of the work head, a considerable portion thereof being broken away to show a section;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary portion of Figure 6 showing the jaw mechanism of a jack adjusted to grip a blank of different height;

Figure 8 is a section on the line 88 of Figure 6; Figure 9 is a section on the line 99 of Figure 6;

t the mechanism shown in Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a fragmentary plan view of the same;

. Figure 15 is a front elevation of the work head and a portion of the slot cutting mechanism;

Figure 16 is a section on the line Iii-15 of Figure 15;

Figure 17 is a section on the line ll--i1 of Figure 16;

Figure 18 is a perspective view of a heel blank the breast of which has been formed with an under lip surface on an arc with a relatively large radius curvature;

Figure 19 is a perspective view of a heel blank the breast of which has been formed with an under lip surface on an are having a relatively small radius of curvature;

Figure 20 is a diagrammatic end view of a cam shaped to produce a lip with a relatively large radius of curvature; the fixed cam follower, heel blanks in three positions and the form cutter being indicated;

Figure 21 is a diagrammatic view of the same cam in a different angular position;

Figure 22 is a similar diagrammatic view showing a cam shaped to produce a lip with a relatively small radius of curvature; and

, Figure 23 is a diagrammatic view showing the cam of Figure 22 in a different angular position. In the machine illustrated in the drawings, the

' work head portion is hinged on a suitable base 30 so as to rock about a horizontal axis extending in a direction lengthwise of the machine. This work head portion, as shown in Figure 6,

includes a bearing member 32 and is pivoted on a horizontal shaft 34 mounted in suitable bear- ,ings 36 carried by the base 30. A horizontal shaft carries a series of four jacks or clamping devices for heel blanks symmetrically arranged about the axis of the shaft. These jacks travel in a circular path since they are radially spaced from the axis shaft 38. Thus the heel blanks which are gripped thereby pass successively in a circular path past a form cutter 52, which operates on the forward or breast surface of the heel blank.

The clamping mechanism by which the heel blanks are gripped is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 and comprises a lever or clamp bar 54 which is rockably mounted on a pin 56 extending between the arms of a yoke member 60 which has a nose 62 bearing against an adjustable stop ring nut 64, as shown in Figure 6. The yoke. 60 is located in a longitudinal channel in the turret head, and is rockably supported by short shafts extending from each side thereof into the turret head. A spring 61 is employed to hold the nose 62 of the yoke against the ring nut 64 so that it rocks only when the ring nut is adjustably shifted to accommodate heel blanks of a differentheight'. When the ring nut is moved forward, for example, the yoke rocks like a bell-crank on its shafts 66, the forward movement of the nose 62 resulting in a radially-inward movement of the pin 56. As this pin is the'rocking axis of the clamp bar 54, the jack is thus adjusted to grip heel blanks of lesser height. At the forward end of the clamp lever 54 is mounted a clamp dog 68 which is pivoted to -"the lever 54 by the pin 56. This'clamp dog bears against an; adjusting screw III and is held against such screw by a suitable springI2; The clamp l'ever54 is rocked by aroller I4 which is at its rear end and which bears on a lever I6 the latter being pivoted to the turret head as at I8 and .being actuated by a cam follower 89 thereon enflgaging' on a cam surface 82 which is secured to the front face of the frame member 32.

In order to provide for a yielding on the part I of the clamping dog in case a heel-blank of extra height is encountered, the roller I4 is not mounted directly on the lever 54, but on the rear end of an'auxiliary lever 90 which is pivoted at its "forward end to the lever 54 by a pin 92. At the rear end of the lever 54 is a cross-piece 84 under -which a pair of springs 86 are compressed, the lower ends of the springs pressing against a crosspiece 88 near the rear end of the auxiliary lever 99. Any thrust on the roller M of the lever 90 resulting from an outward swing of the lever I6 acts through the compression springs 86. These springs preferably are strong enough so that the levers 90 and 54 rock as a unit unless excessive resistance is encountered by the clamp dog at the forward end, in which case the springs 86 can yield to avoid damage to the jack.

As shown in Figure 10, the stationary cam 82 has two portions which are circular concentric arcs f-dilferent radii joined by'suitable 'ramps.:j

The high portion of the cam extends a little more than 180 aboutthe axis of rotation of the shaft 38, the low portion being a little less than It is evident from Figure that as the turret head revolves in a clockwise direction,- the successive cam followers 89 will engage the low portion of the cam when ascending on the lefthand side ofthe axis, but that shortlybefore -eachcam follower reaches a position directly over the axis, it will have been moved outwardly away- -from the axis to the high portion on'which it re- "mains during its travel around the right-hand side of the cam until it has passed the lowermost position directly below the axis. Figure 6 shows theposition--of the uppermost cam follower 8t! 6 on the high portion of the cam, this resulting in the clamp dog 68 beingin its gripping position. The clamp dog 68 bears against the small end of the heel blank, this being the end which is ultimately the ground engaging portion of the heel. The opposite or heel seat end of the heel blank bears on the surface of a central block 94 which is mounted on the forward end of the turret head coaxially with the shaft'3B. The block 94 has four faces or platforms 95 to be engaged by the heel seat surfaces of blanks gripped in the turret head, each of these platforms being rearwardly inclined toward the axis, as indicated in Figure 6.

Adjustments 'are required to accommodate heels of different heights and other dimensions. The adjustment for height is made by rotating thering nut I54. This ring nut is in threaded engagement with a portion of the turret head so that relative rotation thereof advances the nut axially in one direction or the other. A series of holes 96 may be provided in the periphery of the ring nut to receive a tool by which the nut can be rotated. Since the noses 52 of all four yoke members engage the forward surface of the ring nut 64, it is evident that adjustment of the ring nut 64 results in equal simultaneous adjustments of all of the clamping jacks, the rocking axes 56 of the clamp levers being shifted toward or from the axis of the turret head. Figure 7 shows the 'ringnut 64 shifted for-ward so that the axes 56 are moved inward and the jacks' can grip blanks of lesserheight. Scale inarkson the rim of the nut may be provided, if desired,-to indicate the proper position of adjustment of the nutto take care of any specified height of heel. In order to keep the clamping faces of the individual clamp dog'sB-B substantially parallel to the corresponding clamping platforms 95 on the block 94, individual adjustments may be made by turning the set screws III.

In order to facilitate the proper positioning of heel blanks W on the platforms 95, positioning guides are employed, one such acting as a back stop to be engaged by the rear face of the heel blank, another beinga side stop to be engaged by one. of the side faces of the blank. These guides or stops must be readjusted when the machine is set over to accommodate heel blanks having different dimensions from those ofthe .heel blanks previously operated on. It is desirable, according to the invention, that the back stops be capable of simultaneous adjustment and that the side stops likewise be capable of simultaneous adjustment so that the time required for setting over the machine will be reduced to a minimum. The back stops may each consist of a forward extension I69 (Figure 6) of a ring nut I92 which is screw threaded on a reduced portion of the turrethead. By rotating the nut I02 in onedirection or the other, it can be made. to advanc either forward or rearward andthus to adjust simultaneously all of the back stops I00. Since eachv back stop must coperate with one of the platforms 95, it is evident that adjustive rotation of the nut I02 must be by steps of 90.

The nut I02 is provided with four notches I03 in its rear face spaced from each other by angles of 90 as seen iii-Figure 8. These notches are 7 from a front faceof the turret head 55.

adapted to be engagedby a locking dog I94 which is-mounted on a plunger I06, slidably projecting The plunger is provided with a compressed spring I08 which pushes the dog I04 forward against the rear end of the nut I0 2 so that when one of the "notches'lllfin the nut-is in line withthe dog-I 04.

positioned relative to the breast surface. this end, trimming blades I24 are. also mounted on the body, these. blades being arranged to trim;

it is entered thereby so as tolock the ring'against rotation. This keeps the back stops I in any position of adjustment until the dog I04 is pushed back out of the slot in the ring nut I 02. When it is desired to adjust the back stops, the upper end of the dog I64 will catch in a notch I I0 of a spring I I2 so that the dog I04 will be held in its retracted position while the ring nut I02 is being turned.

The side stops for the jacks consist of four pills I! (Figures 6 and 8) spaced from each other by 90, which project forward from a ring II6 mounted within the forward end of the ring nut I02. In order to hold the ring I I6 assembled with the nut I02, the ring bears against the rear surfaces of the projections I00 of the ring nut, each projection I00 being provided with an arcuate slot H8 through which a locking screw I20 extends into the ring H6. When the screws I20 are loosened, the ring II6 can be adjustably rotated so as to vary the position of the side stops I I4 relative to the corresponding back stops I00. The desired amount of rotative adjustment of the ring I I6 can be readily determined by suitable scale marks on a portion of the front face ,heels have abreast face at such a steep angle to the heel seat surface that the top face of the blank is considerably offset in its own plane from the heel seat face. When strong clamping pressure is applied to the top face in a direction perpendicular to the planes of the two faces,

there is danger that the rear end of the seat face will be lifted out of proper position, or that the blank will be distorted by unbalanced pressure, or both, resulting in a defective product. To avoid these hazards, the seat face engaging platform 95 has been slanted downward toward the axis of turret rotation, the back stop I00 is positioned to contact the back surface of the blank at a point spaced up from the bottom edge thereof, ,and the top jaw 68 is pivoted on its pin 56 in such manner as to cause the clamping pressure to center, well within the seat surface area and to tend to push the wedge shaped rear end of the blank into the recess formed by the platform 95 and the back stop I00..

The form cutter52 is illustrated in Figures 4 and and may comprise the usual body in which" are clamped suitable blades I22. These blades ,cut and shape theface of the breast andunder lip surfaces ofthe blank as theblank ismoved past the stationary, rapidly rotating form cutten. It is desirable that the forwardedge of the blank be trimmed so 'asto'secur'efla lip edge uniformly To off the narrow segmental front face of the blank The cutter may be drivenby any suitablemeans such as, for example, a motor I33 mounted on the platform, I30 and connected i, to the shaft I26 by suitable belts I35 running .-P;Y -Z.;Eil 9y:; Elie rleiisiinj I1 9 seesaw ts.

of the nut I02 which cooperate with an index .25

clined, as indicated in Figure 3, so as to. present the form cutter to the heel blanks at a point favorable to the discharge of shavings as the blanks successively move past the cutter in an arcuate path. The usual adjustments for the table I30 are provided so that the cutter can be moved adjustably forward, rearward or laterally with respect to the machine, or can be swung about an axis to position the cutter as required.

The entire work head, including the bearing member 32 and the turret head 50, is rockable about the axis of the shaft 34, but is held with its center of gravity offset from the axis of the shaft both vertically and horizontally so that gravity constantly impresses aturning moment on the work head urging it toward the cutter. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated on the drawings, the center of gravity of the work head is above the axis of the shaft 34 and is horizontally offset toward the cutter, but it is obvious that the same effect would be had if the center of gravity were below and offset away from the cutter. The turning moment which urges the head toward the cutter may be augmented, if desired, by the use of a suitable spring or springs, but no spring is required or shown in the particular machine illustrated on the drawings.

The work head is held in position by a fixed wheel I3I, against which it leans. The wheel I3I is actually a cam follower resting against a selected cam disk I 32, seven of which are illustrated in Figures 13 and 14, these disks all being nearly circular and being mounted coaxially with the shaft 38 to rotate therewith. The cam disks I32, although nearly circular, are not accurately circular except for one of them. In the machine, as shown, the middle cam is a true circle; the others have four arcuate lobes spaced apart,

one for each jack on the turret head, those on one side of the circular cam having lobes with radii greater, and those on the other side lesser, than the radius of the circular cam. The effect of this series of cams is to duplicate an equal number of under lip shapes such as have heretofore been produced by the use of interchangeable turret blocks of differing dimensions selectively mounted, according to prior practice, on a turret revolving on a fixed axis. Furthermore, by the use of cams, the under lip shape is not restricted to circular arcs, but may be of other shapes. It is evident from Figure 12 that as the shaft 38 rotates with the cam disks I32, the shape of the particular disk bearing against the follower I3I will determine the angular position of the work head as a whole with reference to its rocking axis. The purpose of the disk cams cutter is to enable'the machine to cut under-lip shapes of different-curvature on the heel blanks.

For example, Figure 18 shows a heel blank which is relatively wide and which has an underlip curvature I34 with a relatively long radius. Figure 19 illustrates a heel blank which is relatively narrow and which has an underlip curvature I36, having a relatively short radius.

; It;is a feature of the machine herein described that it can be quickly and easily adjusted to cut a, lip with a broad curvature like that of the lip I34 or a lip with a sharp curvature like that of I36 without altering the linear rate of travel of the blank past the form cutter. Figures 20 to 23 inclusive illustrate how these different curvatures are achieved by the use of different selected cain disks I32. As shown in these figures, the turret tionover the axis of rotation. The blank is then carried down toward the, right to the lowermost position below the axis of rotation. As the turret head carrying the blank rotates to move the blank past the form cutter 52 in a circular path, the

shape of the disk I32 which bears against the fixed cam follower I3l determines the curvature of. the lip edge. If, for example, the cam disk I32 is exactly circular, the radiusof curvature of the lipedge will be equal to thedistance between the axis of rotation and the lip edge itself. If, howv r. the cont ur f the amdisk 2 s mod fied sothat the radius of curvature of any; given lobe isgreater or less than the radius of the circularcam, the lip curvature will then be controlled by the cam shape independently of theradius of the heel blank path relative to the axis ofturret rotation.

,The turret inFigure 12 is shown at the mid point of the out on the blank. At-this mid point I4! all of the cam suriaces are at the same radial distancefrom the turret axis of rotation. A cam lobe includes an are extending 45 each way from point I4 I. While all cams meet at point I4 I those on one side .of the central circular cam have curvatures havingradii less; than, and those on the other side greater than, that of the circular cam. I

By this arrangement an operator, after having secured the proper thickness of lip at the center, can get greater or less curvature as required to produce the proper lip thickness at the sides, without affecting his already arrived at lip center thickness, by moving the cam follower on to acam of greater or less curvature.

Figures 20 and 21 show a cam having a shape adapted to produce lip curvature of relatively long radius. When the forming of the lip begins, as in Figure 21, the ca'rn follower I3I contacts the cam on'a portion more remote from the axis of turret rotation than that'co'ntacte'd at the center ofIthe cut as in Figure -20.' Thus, as the cutter cuts' from the edge toward the center of the lip, the turret is being rocked toward the cutter until the center is reached,after"which the action is reversed, thus broadening the curvature of the Figures 22 and 23 show a cam having a shape adapted to produce a lip curvature of relatively short radius. When theforming of the lip begins, as in- Figure 23, the-camfollower I-3I contacts a portion of the cam less remote from the axis of turret rotation thanthat contacted at the center of the cut as in Figure 22. Thus, as the cutter cuts from theedge toward the center ofthe lip, the turret is being rocked away from the cutter until the center isreached, after which the action is reversed, thus sharpening the curvature ofthelipv The several cam disks I32 are carefully shaped with lobeso'f increasing or decreasing radius, as illustrated in Figure 12, and in exaggerated form in Figures 20 to 23, these variations being in accordance with the requirements forlip edges of difierentspecified curvatures varying ordinarily from a-curvature having a radius of 1% inch to a curvature havinga radius of about 2% inches. Figures 13 and'14 show convenient means for quickly shifting the cam follower I3I from one surfaces of the blank will be cut to shape.

cam disk to another. The cam follower is.

mounted to rotate on a frame member I50 which is slidable in a direction parallel to the axis of' rotation of the work head so as to bring the cam follower I3I selectively into the plane of any one its plane is in that of the selected cam disk. The

bolt I52 is then set up to secure the cam disk in its adjusted position and the work head is released tolean against the cam follower I3l.

In order to rock the heavy Work head away from contactwith the cam follower, a convenient lever I54 may be pivoted as at I56 and provided with an eccentric surface I58 which bears against a nearby surface of the work head. When the lever I54 (Figure 12) is swung upward, the eccentric surface I58 wedges the work head toward the left, thus removing it from contact with the cam follower. When the latter has been shifted to its desired new position, the lever I54 may be swung down to permit the work head to rock against the cam follower.

Since any irregularity or inaccuracy in the cam disk which bears against the cam follower I3I would result in a corresponding inaccuracy in the out made on the heel blank, it is desirable that no dirt or other foreign matter be permitted to move into the bitebetween the cam follower and the disk against which it bears. To this end'a doctor or wiper IE0 is pivotally mounted as at I62 on the supporting frame for the cam follower I3 I, so that it always will be immediately above the cam follower and Will wipe the edge of the disk I32 as it approaches the cam follower I3 I. p The machine is provided with means for making a'short shallow slot in the heel seat of each heel blank to act as a guiding means for ensuring the correct location of the heel blank when it is subsequently inserted in a jack of a turning machine in which the remaining side and rear It is important that the heel blank be properly centered in the lack of the turning machine since if it is off center, the cutter of the turning machine will cut more deeply into one side surface of the blank than in the other so that the ends of the lip edge will not be uniform or symmetrical, and the product will be defective. Figures 18 and 19 illustrate heel blanks in which a short slot I64 of this description has been out. Since the slot thus made is located entirely in materialwhich will be later removed to form the cup of the heel seat, it cannot mar the finished product.

A circular-saw I66 for making slots I54 in the blanks is illustrated in Figures 1, 15, 16 and 1'1. This saw is mounted in a vertical plane and is driven by a suitable motor I68 connected to the saw by a belt I10 so as to rotate the saw at high speed. The saw projects up through a loading table I12, the top of which varies from a lower level to the left of the saw to a higher level to the right of the saw, as shown in Figure 16. These two levels are connected by a curved surface I14 in which is the slot I16 through which the saw projects. The blanks W are moved along the table I12 from left to right over the saw and are guided by a side wall I18 having a horizontal Tl rib I60 against which a side face of each blank is pressed as it is manually moved past the saw I68. The curved surface H4 of thetable is so arranged with respect to the saw that as a blank is pushed over the saw, the out I64 is made at the center point of the forward edge of the heel seat surface, thus surface being the one which bears on the table I12. As the blank progresses toward the right, the forward edge of the heel seat surface of the blank rides up on the upwardly curving surface I14 so that the depth of the cut I64 decreases until the blank soon clears the saw altogether, this occurring when the forward lower edge of the blank reaches the upper level of the table I62. At that point, the blank is tilting slightly to the rear, as indicated by one of the broken outlines in Figure 16, owing to the fact that its forward end is on the upper level and rear edge is on the lower level'of the table. As the blank is moved farther toward the right, it is restored to its normal position in which the bottom face is flat against the surface of the table. This forward rocking of the blank over the edge between the curved portion I14 and the upper level of the table I12 lifts the rear portion of the blank clear of the saw so that the cutting is confined to the relatively short slot I64 in the forward portion of the heel seat face.

Since the machine must accommodate blanks of different widths, it is necessary that the saw be adjustably movable along its axis toward or from the guiding rib I80. For this purpose, the shaft of the saw is mounted in a bracket I82, this bracket being secured to a slide I84 which is a part of the table In and which contains the slot I16, through which the saw projects. The slide I84 is adapted to be shifted in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the saw, the saw being carried with it. For this purpose an adjusting screw I86 is threaded through a hole in the bracket I82, the screw I86 having a shaft w i extends o t e ed e o t e machine an terminates in a hand wheel I88 (Figure l), R: i n o this. h d hee hi s t e s w I66 a d he sli e 1 through hi is P oje ts tow rd o from the guiding rib I80 so that the saw can quickly and easily be adjusted to accommodate heel blanks of different Widths. As indicated in Figure 1, a series of scale marks I90 may be pro-. vided to facilitate setting the slide I84 according to the width of the heel blank,

When a heel l nk ha bee mo d ast the saw I66, it is then moved along to a feeding means by which it is pushed into engagement with one of the jacks on the turret head, A feeding means of this kind is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, and comprises an elongated platform I92 which extends diagonally toward the turret head, terminating at a point closely adjacent to the uppermost jack on the turret head. A feeding member I94 is slidable along the platform I92 for the purpose of pushing the blanks one by one into engagement with the successive jacks as the jacks come into the uppermost position during their rotation with the turret head. The pusher I94, as indicated in Figure 2, may comprise a plate I98 slidably supported on top of the platform I92. To the edges of this plate are secured side members I98 and 200, which are guides to keep the pusher on the platform I92. Superimposed on the plate I96, and laterally adjustable relatively thereto is another plate 202 which is recessed at its forward end as at 204. In front of the forward end of the plate 202 is an angle member 206 having two arms presenting faces shown in Figure 1 the angle of the member 206 is located in position to receive a blank as it is pushed along the table I12 after passing the saw I68. The front and one side of the blank thus engages the two forward faces of the member 206. The pusher is then moved so as to shove the blank engaged by the member 206 into position to be clamped in the uppermost jack on the turret head, this movement being accurately timed to present the blank to the jack just before the jack is closed by the cam 82 to its grip.- ping position.

Figure 15 shows the work head at a point at which a blank W has just been clamped in the to jack, and the feeder withdrawn to receive but also against and under back stop I00 as shown in Figure 6, There must be an interval of time between the time the blank arrives at the clamping position and the actual clamping. This interval is extremely short, but however short the blank must be held in true position during such interval. Inasmuch as the work head is in constant rotary motion, it is evident that the means for keeping gentle pressure on the blank to keep it in true position against the side and back stops and in contact with the seat surface jaw during this interval must be yielding in such manner hat i eo a ommoda e i l to b n veent in any di e n o a s a r g I he m chine a shown thi a o m ati n is p ided b mounting the Pushe on h ee oil ore it), A so fixed on he haft 0 is a rook:

ins lever 22? h ing a l nk 3 o nn ed b two un versal jo nts t a horizont l rockin eve 226, he e t r s mounte o a ert oe shaft 28 hich. a so carrie a lever 23%- T e nd. f t e. eve 2 .1 is conn cted by a suitab e l n 23? to he usher I8 i oe the Pusher i t me dr ven dire t y r m the dri in P nion 2 wh ch l o drives the turret h ad, the movemen of the pusher is thus accurately synchronized, with the mo em nt the acks,

In o der to prev nt th heel blan s rom ti kins to the, Jacks after he ha e een. pened, a p n kick-out 2149 is mount d elow the tur et head in osition o be engaged y any blank which ma st ll cl n to e lo k a ter h tte has been op ned: Th blocks hen rel a e a l into a suitable.- reoe taole 4 Figu e, 3) in he machine housin belo the o k head A do c utch operated by a e -4 Fi ur s 1 3' 1 and 6, provides for disconnecting the work head fromuits driving mechanism so that the work head can be freely rotatedv by hand for purposes of inspection or adjustment.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1.. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a base, a bearing member hinged on said base to rock on a horizontal .axis, a, horizontal shaft journalled in said bearing member, means for rotating said shaft, a turret head mounted on said shaft, a work holder mounted on said head and spaced from the axis of said shaft whereby to move in a circular path about said axis, a cam disc mounted on said shaft and a fixed cam follower mounted on said base in engagement with said cam, the bearing member being arranged above its hinge axis with its center of gravity horizontally offset toward said cam follower whereby the cam is kept pressed against the follower, and a tool mounted in an adjustably fixed position adjacent to the path of said work holder.

2. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a base, a bearing member hinged on said base to rock on a horizontal axis, a horizontal shaft journalled in said bearing member, means for rotating said shaft, a turret head mountedon said shaft to rotate therewith, a plurality of work holders mounted on said head and equally spaced from the axis of said shaft, a series of differently shaped cam discs mounted side by side on said shaft, a cam follower mounted on said base and adjustably movable parallel to said axes for selective engagement with any one of said cams, said bearing member being arranged above its hinge axis with its center of gravity horizontally offset toward the cam follower whereby said follower is constantly pressed by one of said cams, and a fixed tool mounted adjacent to the path of movement of said work holders.

3. A wood heel breasting machine, comprising a base, a bearing member hinged on said base to rock about a horizontal axis, a horizontal shaft journalled in said bearing member, means for rotating said shaft, a turret head mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith, a plurality of heel blank gripping devices mounted on said turret head and equally spaced from the axis of said shaft, a plurality of differently shaped disc cams mounted on said shaft coaxially therewith, a cam follower mounted on said base and adjustable in a direction parallel to said shaft for selective engagement with any one of said cams, said bearing member being arranged above its hinge axis with its center of gravity offset horizontally toward said cam follower, whereby said bearing member presses against said cam follower the cam in contact therewith, a rotatable cutter mounted in an adjustably fixed position on said base adjacent to the path of travel of said gripping devices, said cams being shaped to rock the bearing member gradually on its hinge axis as the shaft rotates so as to modify the curvature of the path of each gripping device as it passes the cutter, means for automatically closing each said gripping device before it passes said cutter and for opening each said device after it passes the cutter, and means for feeding a heel blank to a gripping device just before the device is closed.

4. In a machine for operating on wood heel blanks, a rotatable turret head, a series of workclamping devices on said turret head, each said device comprising an outwardly facing platform and a rocking lever having a jaw movable in a radial direction toward and from said plat-. form to grip and release a work piece, means for simultaneously and equally adjusting. the gripping positions of the jaws of all of said devices to accommodate work pieces of different sizes.

5. In a machine for operating on wood heel blanks,.a rotatable turret head, a series of work' clamping devices on said head, each'said device comprising an outwardly facing platform and a clamping dog movable radially to and from a blank-gripping position with respect to the corresponding platform, a single means for simultaneously adjusting the gripping positions of all said dogs, a side-stop element and a backstop element mounted on said head adjacent to each said platform, a single means for simultaneously adjusting the positions of all said sidestop elements, and a single means for simultaneously adjusting the positions of all said backstop elements relative to the respective platforms. I

6. In amachine for operating on wood heel blanks, a rotatable turret head, a series of workclamping devices mounted on said head, each said device comprising an outwardly facing platform, a-clamping dog movable radially to and from a clamping position with reference to the corresponding platform, and means for moving said dog, said means including a rocking lever at the forward end of which said dog is mounted, a supporting member pivotally connected to said lever at an intermediate point of the lever, said supporting member being pivotally mounted on said head a point to the rear of the said pivotal connection and having a rearwardly projecting nose located radially outward of said pivotal mounting, a ring nut in threaded engagement with said head and abutting the noses of all said supporting members, spring means resiliently holding said noses against said nut whereby rotation of said nut rocks all said supporting members simultaneously and thereby adjustably moves the pivots of the rock shafts simultaneously inward or outward, and cam means acting on the rear ends of said rocking levers to rock each said lever at predetermined points in its travel around the axis of the head as the head rotates.

'7. In a machine for operating on wood heel blanks, a rotatable turret head, a plurality of work-clamping devices mounted on said head, each said device including an outwardly facing platform against which the work piece is pressed, a ring nut in threaded engagement with a portion of said head and coaxial therewith, a forward extension on said nut corresponding to each said clamping device and arranged to serve as a back-stop element therefor, and releasable means on said head for locking said nut against rotation relative to said head.

8. In a machine for operating on wood heel blanks, a bearing member, a horizontal shaft journalled in said member, a turret head mounted at the forward end of said shaft, a series of work-clamping devices on said head movable around the axis of the head as the shaft and head rotate, means automatically closing and opening each said device as it reaches predetermined points in its path of travel about said axis, an elongated loading platform extending toward the forward end of said head in a direction diagonal to said axis, a loading device movable on said platform toward and from said 2,544,470 0 15 16 head, said loading device including a; slide and REFERE1\I(JES CITED a, work-engaging member on said platform resiiiently backed by said slide, and means for reciprocating said slide and work-engaging mem- The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

her on said platform in timed relation with the UNITED STATES PATENTS rotation of said head. Number Name Date 2,026,040 Howe Dec. 31, 1935 RITA IM. PETTENGILL, 2,045,390 Howe June 23, 1936 Executriac for the Estate @Oj Ralph Howard Petten- 2,116,627 Hazelton May 10, 1938 gill, Deceased. h? 2,117,769 Rogge May 1'7, 1938 JOHN W. SJ OSTROM. 

